there remains beauty uncovered

Here on the left coast ... there's one race that makes me think back to those crazy days of the 80's when Americans were goin' all American Flyer about cycling.

Days of silly helmets and downtube shifters, Velo-Fros and 7/11, classicaly spoked wheels and the occasional mustache of bravura. (oh yeah, check that link)

The days before the science of cycling, power meters and carbonium chamois ~ the days of pure experimentation.
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Nevada City these days gets good crowds ... but not like those of the hey-days. This Sunday will see a core group of afficianados trekking into the foothills to watch one of the classics, one of the staples of American cycling ... part criterium, part kermesse, complete sufferfest.

But we won't see the crazies shoulder-to-shoulder and 5-deep up the twisties of that climbing mountain town ... the bare-shouldered, full-lunged partier just wanting a glimpse of greatness. Not these days.

Sport, like all human activity, is driven by personality. And what i mean is ... individuals who capture the spirit of greatness and potential greatness. We need characters and exploit, huge acts of defiance that make us laugh and shake our heads and wonder how they do it. We need unique stars that separate themselves with an independent brightness, a step outside the rest, a glorious and true love of what they do ...
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This year we'll have BMC and the Rock-hoodlums showing up ... along with some of the SuccessfulLiving.whatever guys. Yeah, it'll be a decent group of American D3's going crazy fast up that hill, over and over again. It will be pro-racing. And, Moniger will likely shoot higher than any of the rest unless we can get BJM to show up.

Moniger ... great.

I mean, the dude is a hero. He's 40 and fast and only been popped once for "questionable dietary supplements" ... so, yippee for cycling.

But, i'd prefer a fresh, new face to have a break out performance. Someone to smash expectations and capture imaginations. Someone driven to ungodly speeds not as a result of cold science, unobtainium equipment, or because the product of the some USAC business model ... NO!

instead, i hope for something unexpected, someone breaking boundaries because they are winged to win by pure spirit, unyielding and innocent ambition, absolute and unquenchable desire.


sigh.
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Molly Van Howeling is logged in for the start. I will be very, very interested in how she tackes this year's NevCity. I'm hoping the PROMAN chicks send a full-monty crew to show their stuff - that could be an epic battle playing out.

And what of the VAC ladies ... will they put in one last glory shot before packing ship to Nature Valley GP? TIBCO?
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yeah, and the old guys will be racing, too. total and complete warfare out there ... blah, blah, blah.

still, i won't miss it. i love it.
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(thanks Glenn for the hookup on Mason's photos ... great stuff)